The Roots of Progressivism

Progressivism Not a unified political movement, but rather a broad range of reform movements Rejected Social Darwinism, laissez-faire economics, & Individualism

Progressivism Blamed industrialization & urbanization for the filth, crime, and poverty of American cities, yet embraced the power of science and technology to build a better society Believed change can only come through government regulation of the economy and providing direct help to those in need Progressives tended to be urban, educated, middle-class Americans Leadership came from journalists, educators, social workers, and the clergy

REMEMBER THESE

Rockefeller’s influence-power

Muckrakers Journalists who investigate social conditions, unfair business practices, and political corruption (today, this is called “investigative journalism”) Term first coined by Theodore Roosevelt in a 1906 speech

His vertical and horizontal integration-monopoly!

Ida Tarbell 1857 – 1944 Magazine journalist Wrote The History of Standard Oil Company (1904), an expose of Rockefeller’s unethical business practices For many Americans, this was their first lesson in the dangers of trusts and monopolies

Charles Edward Russell 1860 – 1941 Journalist Exposed the conditions in Chicago’s stockyards, badly damaging the reputation of the beef industry One of the founders of the NAACP in 1909 Later became a socialist, ran for office in NY

David Graham Phillips 1867 – 1911 Journalist / Novelist Exposed how campaign contributions had led to corruption in the Senate; the public uproar that followed led to the passage of the 17th Amendment, changing how Senators are elected Shot and killed by a man who believed Phillips’ exposé had led to the downfall of his family’s reputation

Lincoln Steffens 1846 – 1936 Journalist Wrote The Shame of the Cities (1904), an exposé on political corruption within the US’ major cities Later became a communist, declaring after a visit to the Soviet Union in 1919: “I've seen the future, and it works”

Jacob Riis 1840 – 1914 Danish immigrant Worked as a journalist and crime scene photographer Wrote How the Other Half Lives (1890): Used photographs to expose the squalor and horrible living conditions in the tenements and slums of NYC Worked with then NYC police- commissioner Theodore Roosevelt to effect reforms within the NYPD

Naturalists Group of novelists who argued that, contrary to “survival of the fittest,” sometimes people fail through no fault of their own – they are caught up in circumstances that they can’t control; part of the Realism movement

Stephen Crane 1871 – 1900 Wrote Maggie, A Girl of the Streets (1893): tale of a girl forced by family circumstances into prostitution and death Also wrote The Red Badge of Courage (1895), the short-story The Open Boat Died of tuberculosis which he contracted while covering the Spanish- American War

Jack London 1876 – 1916 Author of The Call of the Wild (1903) Wrote stories of man’s struggle against the uncontrollable power of nature Also a socialist

The Social Gospel 1870 – 1920 Work to improve society through the biblical ideals of charity and justice Primarily church- centered Churches began to evolve from being simply places of worship to being community centers and taking on missions designed to help the poor – provide gyms, social programs, day care

The Salvation Army Began in England in 1865 as the Christian Mission, spread to US in 1880 “The advancement of the Christian religion as promulgated in the religious doctrines . . . the advancement of education, the relief of poverty, and other charitable objects beneficial to society or the community of mankind as a whole.”

The YMCA The Young Men’s Christian Association Began in England in 1844, spread quickly throughout US Aim was to help urban workers by offering Bible studies, prayer meetings, citizenship classes Facilities included gyms, pools, libraries, auditoriums, and temporary low-cost lodging

Jane Addams 1860 – 1935 Founded Hull House, a settlement house in Chicago First woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize Supported the idea that Christians have a moral responsibility to fix society’s problems & help the less fortunate

Settlement Houses Most famous settlement house = Chicago’s Hull House Middle class “settlers” moved into working class neighborhoods to help provide education, meals, childcare, medical care, and general advice to immigrants and poor workers

Public Education Industrialization increased demand for a trained, educated workforce Schools were also necessary for Americanizing immigrants’ children: they learned English, US History, patriotism, responsibilities of citizenship

School to Work Pipeline Schools were used to teach the traits necessary to succeed in the industrial workforce: punctuality, attendance, neatness, efficiency, attention to detail, obedience to authority High schools offered a variety of technical and vocational skills

Public Universities Due to the Morrill Land Grant Act, the number of public universities rose dramatically Between 1870 and 1890, the number of American students in college tripled New colleges opened aimed specifically at educating female and black students